TEKKEN 6
Glossary and Basic Combat Guide
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Copyright 2009 Christopher Kull
This may not be reproduced under any circumstances except for personal,
private use. It may not be placed on any other web site or otherwise
distributed publicly without advance written permission. Use of this guide
on any other web site or as part of any public display is strictly
prohibited, and a violation of copyright.
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About the Author
I've been a dedicated gamer for a long time. I've experimented with a wide
variety of game Genre's. I'm a bit older now and the decline in my reflexes
is more apparant now when I play FPS's and Fighters. As a result I play a
lot of RPG's and TBS's. I like to write and I've been building a growing
portfolio to launch a writing career. I tend to focus on fantasy fiction
short stories inspired by many years of table top RPGs. Despite the
educational nature of this guide, I hope to add it to my portfolio. Some
alternate facts about me. My name is Chris, my favorite color is royal
blue, my favorite foods are seafood's, my favorite video game is Lunar.
And more important than all of the other information in this guide is the
best piece of advice I've ever received or could pass on...
"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." ~Modern variation of
The Golden Rule. The Golden Rule was first seen written on the Mahabharata,
one of the two great Sanskrit epics. This was around the year 3000BC~ The
Golden Rule has been around for over 5000 years and has been assimilated by
every major faith the world has ever known.
If you have questions or input pertaining to Tekken in general or this guide
you can email me at Arc9213@gmail.com. Please title the email Tekken to
avoid the spam filter.
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About the Guide
This is my first guide. In all the long years Ive been perfecting and
defeating games of all genres I can say with certainty that the GameFaqs
community has helped me the most. This guide is my way of giving back to the
GameFaqs community. So why Tekken 6? When compared to other fighting games
the Tekken series dominates all of them with Soul Calibur taking a close
second. Tekken's most pronounced attribute is its sheer depth and complexity.
Ive been playing Tekken since the very first installment. Most of the
Tekken guides Ive read in the past lacked information on Tekken's many
nuances. The nuances create a game within the game. A good example would be
the "wake-up game". These nuances are usually mentioned, but rarely do they
do more than scratch the surface. So without further adieu, I present a
glossary defining Tekken's jargon and a basic but thorough guide to combat in
Tekken. Most importantly, this information can be applied to all of Tekken's
characters. Lastly, I will cover my own methods on training in both offense
and defense that will hopefully make you a better Tekken competitor!
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Revisions & Updates
Version 1.0
Complete Glossary and Basic Combat Guide
Version 1.2
-Corrected several spelling errors.
-Revised Ground Throws: They can be escaped.*
-Updated Attack Arcs: Included Diagonal attack arcs. Includes white attack
arcs.*
-Updated Super Charge: Characters deal small amounts of damage when
supercharged even if their attacks are guarded.*
-Revised Starting the Match, Jab Rush: Ganryu has a 12 frame jab.*
-Revised Wall Throws: King also has a wall throw.*
-Update Glossary: Crushing Attacks have been added.*
-Update Back Dash: Back Dash cancel option added.*
-Update Running: Running attacks cannot be reversed.*
-Revised Throw, Tackle: Tackles are escaped with right punch and reversed
with a just input of left punch+right punch.*
-Update Glossary: Homing Attacks have been added.*
-Revised Ukemi: The kick buttons are used to ukemi into the foreground.*
-Update Combo: Natural Combo section added.*
-Update Glossary: Filler Attacks added.*
-Update Juggle: A variety of details have been added to the juggle section of
the guide.*
-Update Wall Stun: Wall Splat added to Wall stun section.
-Update Chicken: Reversals that reverse attacks that use both the left punch
and right punch simultaneously are chickened with left punch+left kick.*
-Update Rage: Rage activates at 11% health. Attacks do approximately 34%
more damage during Rage.
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Table of Contents
1. Glossary
2. Basic Combat Guide
2a. Mix-Ups
2b. Juggles
2c. Wake-Up Game
2d. Starting the Match
3. Training Regiment
3a. Offensive Training
3b. Defensive Training
4. Tekken Sites Reference List
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Section 1
Glossary
The purpose of this glossary is to make you aware of what the many terms of
Tekken mean. I advise looking it over once to make yourself familiar with
all of the terms. It is my hope there will be enough additional information
on each term to be used as a reference should questions arise as your skills
improve.
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --
Attack Arc: Attack Arc is the path of an attack. This was a very dominant
element of the Soul Calibur series. In Tekken attack arcs arent nearly as
important or influential. They do deserve some mention though.
Typically, horizontal attack arcs are harder to side step while vertical
attack arcs are easier to side step. The attack arc is also a good indicator
as to whether a medium attack will hit a grounded opponent. Thrusting or
poking attacks that travel directly to the opponent rather than up/down or
side to side are also more easily side stepped. Many attacks also have a
diagonal attack arc, but in most cases they are evaded in the same ways as
horizontal and vertical attacks. Lastly, some attacks will have a white
trailing line behind them during their animation. These attacks are also
referred to as homing attacks because they cannot be side stepped.
Advantage: Having the advantage in Tekken means you are in a position to act
while your opponent is not. Its important to note that in the fast paced
fighting that is Tekken your advantage will last for less than a second in
most cases.
Aggressive: This is usually a reference to a play style, but can also be a
reference to a character. An example would be, "Kazuya is an aggressive
character". When discussing play style it generally means that the player
tries to remain as offensive as possible attacking very often even while at
a disadvantage. It is usually better to play defensively against experienced
opponents as they will often know all the kinks or moments of weakness during
attacks and strings. The less predictable you are the less effective an
aggressive play style will be against you.
Balanced: Another reference to play style. A balanced style combines both an
aggressive play style and a defensive play style. Balanced players will
generally be very aggressive when they have the advantage, and be very
defensive when they are at a disadvantage. Balanced is also used to describe
one character in comparison to another. As of now the general consensus is
that all of the characters in Tekken 6 are very balanced. This means players
of similar skill levels should have close matches regardless of which
character they use. It is widely believed that Nina in Tekken 5 was very
unbalanced or "broken" because of programming flaws such as making her too
fast, ect.
Bounce: Bouncing is a new state of incapacitation in Tekken 6. Bouncing
occurs when certain attacks slam a player into the ground. Bouncing is now
an integral part of Tekken's juggle system. In previous installments of
Tekken, the idea of getting the most damage out of your juggles was to find
the perfect balance between the damage of some attacks and the lift or
propulsion of other attacks. Powerful juggles of earlier versions of Tekken
looked impressive, but they were fundamentally simple. With the addition of
bouncing, it is another element we must consider when creating juggles. How
much of a juggle's potential will be increased or diminished by adding an
attack that will cause a bounce? Despite being shorter in length because of
a bounce, does it net greater damage than I could accomplish without a
bounce? Ultimately, this makes the juggle system more complex, but because
launchers and the number of options you have to use on an opponent in the air
are very limited, Tekken's juggle system should remain relatively simple.
Buffer: To buffer in Tekken is to input commands for your next action while
your performing another action. Chickens are one of the most commonly
buffered maneuvers as they are very difficult to do without buffering.
Cancel: Canceling is the option of stopping an unblockable attack before it
finishes. This is typically done to bait an opponent into acting, or to
avoid putting yourself in an unfavorable position by completing the
unblockable attack. The command input for canceling each unblockable is
different, but they are posted on the characters move list next to the
unblockable attacks command input. Secondly, canceling has also come to
refer to the act of stopping a string prematurely to use an attack that isnt
part of the string. This is called "canceling into". For example, Jin's
5 hit Kazama style combo hits low with the final hit and has no variations.
Players familiar with this attack will either guard low or parry low to stop
the final hit from connecting. To avoid giving your opponent the advantage
by finishing the combo, you instead cancel into a hop kick or some other
medium attack to hit them as they crouch to parry or block the attack.
Granted there is some delay in this, and you are in fact at a disadvantage.
The idea of canceling like this is to regain your advantage by attacking
before your opponent realizes he has the advantage. Lastly, it is often wise
to cancel 10 hit strings prematurely as they have many guard points.
Chain/String: A chain or string is a series of attacks or motions. Many
chains are already programmed as part of a characters move selection, but it
is possible to create custom strings assuming each move or action you take
leaves you with an advantage against your opponent. Chains are not to be
confused with combos. The difference being that the attacks of a combo are
guaranteed to connect while those of a string are not.
Chicken: The term chicken doesnt reference a bird in Tekken but rather a
defensive action. When a standard reversal is used against one of your
attacks you can perform a chicken to negate the reversal and deal a small
amount of damage to your opponent. Note that the window to perform a chicken
is very small. The command input for a chicken is always the same regardless
of character or which standard reversal is used. The command input for a
chicken is determined by whether the attack being reversed is with a left
limb or right limb. If your left punch or kick is being reversed the command
input would be forward+left punch+left kick. If your right punch or kick is
being reversed the command input would be forward+right punch+right kick. If
you use an attack that requires you to press 2 or more buttons simultaneously
you must make a mental note as to which of your characters 4 limbs are
actually forming the attack. It is sometimes easier to find this out by
having these multi-button attacks reversed by the computer during defensive
training. Not to be confused with attacks using 2 buttons simultaneously
are attacks that attack with 2 limbs simultaneously. These attacks, almost
always employing the left and right punches are chickened with a command
input of forward+left punch+right punch.
The reversal animation will be different depending on which limb
is being reversed. seeing the reversal animation is the most definitive
way of determining which command input to use for a successful chicken.
Note that many special reversals look just like standard
reversals.
Clean Hit: Some attacks in Tekken can hit more directly or cleanly than
others. Clean hits do more damage and often have an added effect such as
knocking your opponent away or down. Clean hits are achieved by connecting
with an attack at very close range even when it would be possible to connect
with the attack from a greater range.
Combo: A combo is a series of attacks or strings that are guaranteed to
connect after the first attack connects. The first hit of most combos
usually incapacitates your opponent. Juggles are the most common example of a
combo.
Combo, Natural: Some of the pre-programmed strings that many characters have
are natural combos. This means that if the first hit in the string connects
some or all of the other attacks in the string will connect. Other strings
may function as a natural combo only if the first hit is a counter hit.
Natural combos are quick ways to retaliate dealing a lot of damage, but you
must be sure to confirm your first hit, be aware of the evade points and
whether the string is safe if its blocked to avoid taking unnecessary damage.
Counter Hit: Any attack can be a counter hit. An attack becomes a counter
hit when it connects with an opponent who is in the midst of an action other
than simple movement. Counter hits do more damage and often have an added
effect such as knocking your opponent down or farther up into the air. Most,
if not all, characters have one or more attacks that incapacitate their
opponent on a counter hit providing you with combo options. A super charge
will cause your very next attack to be a counter hit if it connects. The
command input for a super charge is...
left punch+right punch+left kick+right kick.
Crouch: Crouching in Tekken is the act of kneeling. Crouching will avoid
high attacks and allow you to guard yourself against low attacks. It also
puts you in a position to perform "while-rising" attacks.
Crouch Dash: A crouch dash is a combination of both crouching and dashing. A
crouch dash will avoid high attacks, but you will not be able to guard
against low attacks. Note that not all characters have a crouch dash.
Those that do will almost always have several moves they can only use out of
a crouch dash. These crouch dash moves are in addition to the "while-rising"
attacks they can normally perform while crouching. The command input for
most characters crouch dash is forward, down, down+forward.
Crush: Some attacks have the benefit of avoiding a particular hit type during
their animation. These attacks are called crushing attacks. A hop kick for
example is a low crushing attack as it will completely avoid low attacks
during its animation. Similarly, characters with a high crushing attack can
easily crush opponents who try to lock them down with unpredictable jab
strings.
Dash: All characters can dash. A dash is a quick movement towards your
opponent. Most if not all characters have several special attacks or
motions that can be used during a dash. The command input for dashing is
forward, forward.
Dash, Backwards: All characters can dash backwards. A back dash is a quick
movement away from your opponent. There are no attacks or moves that are
used out of a standard back dash that I'm aware of. There are however some
attacks that move a character back while attacking. The command input for a
back dash is back, back. Despite the backward movement of your character,
you are vulnerable while back dashing. To mitigate your vulnerability while
back dashing you have 2 options. First you can hold back the second time
you press it. This will result in a shorter back dash, but you will be able
to guard sooner. Your second option is a back dash cancel which is done by
tapping back and down just after you input your second back. Your character
will crouch for a split second in the middle of the dash. Only during the
very tiny window of the crouch are you vulnerable making this perhaps the
best way of back dashing.
Dash, Special: Not all characters have special dashes. Most special dashes
are back dashes. Special dashes will usually cover more ground than standard
dashes. Some characters have attacks or motions that can use out of their
special dashes. The command input for most special dashes is up, up+back.
Another less common command input for special dashes is down, down+back,
back.
Defensive: Like aggressive, this usually references a play style. A
defensive play style revolves around guarding your opponents attacks waiting
for mistakes to take advantage of. Any offensive maneuvers used by a
defensive player will usually be "safe hits". The drawback to this play
style is that you will be voluntarily giving your opponent the advantage for
the majority of the match. This puts a lot of pressure on one's defensive
skills, but if they are good enough, defensive players can be extremely
difficult to defeat. Note that if guard damage is turned on a defensive
play style is not as viable.
Delay: Some moves in Tekken can be delayed. Delaying a move is a type of
feint or deception. If used properly in conjunction with other attacks it
often gives your opponent the impression that they now have the advantage.
Naturally you attack when you have the advantage. Therein lies the deception
of a delayed attack. In actuality you still possess the advantage. Almost
all delayed attacks that connect are counter hits.
Disadvantage: Being at a disadvantage means you are not in a position to act
before your opponent. Having the disadvantage isnt as bad as it sounds at
first. Advantage and disadvantage shifts rapidly during a fight. It is also
important to note that you are still able to attack and even connect while
you are at a disadvantage. However, successful attacks while at a
disadvantage usually involve evading your opponents attack. In fact many
characters have attacks that seem to have been specifically designed to be
used while at a disadvantage such as Jin's Low Spinning Back Kick
(back+down+left kick). This attack hits high while evading high attacks. As
you might have guessed the majority of counter hits during a game occur when
you or your opponent attack while at a disadvantage.
Escape: Escapes are performed in response to throws. Standard throws cannot
be blocked, only escaped. Almost every single throw in Tekken can be escaped.
When an opponent begins a throw the animation usually looks 1 of 3 ways.
They will lead or reach out with their right or left arm or they will not
lead with either and reach with both. This all happens very quickly so it
isnt uncommon for escapes to be guessed. The good news is you will usually
have a 50/50 shot of guessing right. Several characters do have a third type
of throw they can do easily from the front reducing your chance of guessing
correctly to 33%. If your opponent leads with their right arm, press right
punch to escape, if they lead with their left arm press left punch to escape,
and if they dont lead and reach for you with both hands press
left punch+right punch to escape. Be aware that even after escaping most
standard throws your opponent will still have the advantage. With linking
throws however, neither of you will have the advantage after an escape.
Escape Points/Windows: Some throws can be escaped at multiple points during
its animation. If your first attempt at escaping fails, try a different
escape. With more experience, the throws with multiple escape points become
very easy to escape.
Filler Attacks: Filler attacks are used as the first hit of a juggle. The
first hit of all juggles deals 120% damage where as all of the other hits of
a juggle deal 60% damage or less. Most characters only have 1 or 2 filler
attacks and they can usually only be used after very high launchers. The
idea behind identifying your characters filler attacks is to find the attack
that allows you to do the most damage with that single hit and allow you to
continue the juggle.
Frames: Each and every action in Tekken can be broken down into frames.
Frames determine the wind-up and recovery of your actions. According to
Simon Parkins review on Eurogamer Tekken 6 flows at 60 frames per second.
Knowing how many frames it takes for an attack to connect essentially gives
you proof of just how fast or slow that attack is. This knowledge is
attained on a much more instinctual level just by playing however. For more
information on frames try...
http://sdtekken.com/t5dr/frame-data-guide/
Ground Break: New in Tekken 6 is the ability to smash your opponent through
the ground in certain stages. At first glance this may seem like no big
deal, but as with most things in Tekken, first looks are very deceptive. The
individual being smashed through the ground will take a very small amount of
damage upon hitting the floor on the level below. The damage seems on par
with the extra damage you take when smashed against a wall. More importantly
is the fact that your opponent will likely be very close to you when hit the
ground. Further more, he'll be standing and have a considerable advantage.
Though it may not seem it, the person standing after a ground break can get
off a small combo if you start inputting commands as soon as you start to
rise from the crouching position. Your options seem to be the same as you
would have if you just low parried one of your opponents attacks. Range and
whether your opponent is facing you feet first or head first will determine
how much of your combo will succeed. The ground can be broken in 3 of the
18 stages; they are... Anger of the Earth, Cemetery, and Fallen Colony.
Guard: Guarding against attacks negates the attack's damage and effects. All
attacks with the exception of throws and unblockable attacks can be guarded
against. The command input for guarding is simply back or to guard against
low attacks back+down.
Guard Lock: Guard lock occurs when you are guarding against a string or
chain. Severe guard lock prevents you from taking any action but guarding.
A less severe guard lock will allow you to crouch.
Guard, Neutral: If you do nothing when an opponent attacks you with a high
or medium attack you will still guard the attack. This auto-guard is
neutral guard. As with past installments, neutral guarding will leave you at
a disadvantage after some attacks while active guarding will not.
Guard Points: A guard point is a moment during a string that allows you to
guard even if you were struck by all the strings previous attacks. If you
managed to guard the attacks up to the guard point in the string you may be
able to launch a successful attack even though you have a disadvantage.
Knowing the guard points of your strings as well as the strings of your
opponent is an important step in mastering Tekken.
Guard Stun: Some very powerful attacks can cause guard stun. You will see an
animation of your character staggering after guarding the attack. During
this time you will be unable to do anything but guard enabling your opponent
to begin another string. In Tekken 5 there is a very small number of attacks
that cause so much guard stun as to leave one completely helpless. These
attacks could be wildly abused to score gauranteed damage. As of now I'm
unsure as to whether attacks like this are present in Tekken 6. I'd
appreciate any feedback regarding said attacks.
High Risk: A high risk attack is one that has amazing damage potential for
both you and your opponent. If a high risk attack connects, you should score
big damage, usually in the form of a juggle or throw. If the high risk
attack misses, or even if its blocked, then you can expect to take a great
deal of damage instead. So what makes an attack high risk, first is damage
and second is bad recovery time. Dont be surprised if your character doesnt
have many high risk attacks as in some cases, that is one of a characters
strengths. An attack that has a lot of damage potential, but isnt risky is
called a punisher.
Hit Type: Every attack in Tekken falls into 1 of 3 types. These are high,
medium, and low. High attacks can be avoided by a standing guard or
crouching. Medium attacks can be avoided by a standing guard. Some medium
attacks can be avoided by jumping though this isnt usually practical.
Certain characters have special moves or stances that will allow them get low
enough to avoid medium attacks. Low attacks can be avoided by a crouching
guard or jumping. Note that jumping over low attacks is practical. Also
worth noting to a lesser degree is another attack type, special medium.
Special medium attacks can be blocked either standing or crouching making
them very hard to connect with. A crouching jab is the most commonly used
special medium attack. It can be used to thwart many 10-hit strings as well
as jab strings.
Hit Confirmation: A term better known in Soul Calibur, but no less important
in Tekken is hit confirmation. Hit confirmation is the act of visually
confirming that an attack connects before you continue with one string or
another. As mentioned in guard points, you can leave yourself open to
devastating counter hits or even worse counter launchers if you dont confirm
your hits. A good example of putting hit confirmation to use is Jin's
Evil Intent attack. The first hit is medium, the second hit is high, and
the third hit is medium. If the first hit connects you'd want to finish it
as the other 2 hits are now gauranteed. If the first hit is blocked however
you should use the second variation. This variation is only 2 hits and does
considerably less damage, but it will hit the enemy who crouches in
preparation to launch you after the second high attack of Evil Intent whiffs.
Hit Properties: Many attacks have special properties that go into effect
when they connect. Knock-down is an example of a specific hit property that
knocks the victim of the attack down. There are a great many hit properties
in Tekken. How to capitalize off of some of the more common hit properties
will be covered in the basic combat section of this guide.
Homing Attacks: Homing attacks are new to Tekken 6. These attacks are easily
identified by the white trail they leave in their wake. Unlike most attacks
which can be side stepped to the left or the right or both, homing attacks
cannot be side stepped. Homing attacks are important to keep in your
mental attack arsenal for when your dealing with highly evasive characters
such a Ling Xiaoyu.
Hop: Hops are very small jumps. Many characters have hops built into some of
their attacks. Hops will avoid most low attacks and leave you with a nice
frame advantage. The command input for a hop is to tap up or up+forward or
up+back.
Juggle: Juggles are a form of combo. A juggle involves launching an enemy
into the air at which time you can unleash any number of strings to score
huge amounts of damage. Tekken 6 has many more bouncing juggles than its
predecessors. This means that the potential for the juggle to continue
after the enemy hits the ground doesnt end, but in most cases grows. It also
means that many moves that knock down rather than up can still result in
juggles. Juggles are perhaps one of the major things that separate veteran
players from intermediate and novice players. The good news is there are
juggles for all skill levels. More damaging juggles tend to me more
difficult than less damaging ones, but not always! It is crucial for any
would be Tekken master to know the most damaging juggle that can be used
after all of their character's launchers.
Jump: A jump only goes a bit higher than a hop, but it takes much longer to
finish, leaving you with less of an advantage. A jump will keep you in the
air longer than a hop however. All characters take much less damage from
attacks while in the air, approximately 50% less damage. All characters have
the same attacks during a jump. Right punch at any point during the jump
will result in a downward punch that will hit medium upon landing. Left
punch will result in a jab while in the air. If your jump was accidental or
unintentional the jab is best for protecting yourself. Right kick will
result in a sloppy looking front kick. The kick knocks down on a counter hit
and leaves you at a disadvantage if blocked. Lastly there is left kick.
the left kick is probably the only move you will use intentionally during a
jump. The left kick will cause crumple stun on hit allowing for a combo.
If you delay the left kick until after the peak of your jump you will kick
low after landing. Jumping attacks that hit low can be very deceptive and
difficult to guard against. Note that no one can guard while in the air.
Just Impact/Input: Another term more often associated with Soul Calibur.
Just Inputs have become more common in Tekken since the release of Tekken 4.
A just input is to press the appropriate button the moment the first attack
in the sequence strikes your opponent. Lee's Mist Fang Throw is perhaps the
most commonly known just input attack. The command input for this attack is
to double tap left kick and then press right kick button the moment the left
kick connects. The window for just input attacks is extremely narrow, but
these attacks often tack on extra damage that is gauranteed. Lee's Mist Fang
Throw for example will connect and deal damage even if the opponent blocked
the initial left kick essentially making this attack unblockable without the
signature colorful warning or delay.
Launcher: A launcher is an attack that incapacitates the enemy by launching
them into the air. During this time, any number of attacks or strings can be
used on the enemy without fear of retaliation; this is called a juggle. All
characters have a limited number of juggles. A very big step in mastering
Tekken is to know all of your characters launchers and when to use them based
on their range, wind-up, recovery, and how much lift or hang time they
provide. Typically, the higher the attack launches the enemy the bigger the
juggle, and the greater the damage. Mind you, launchers that create a lot of
height are usually high risk attacks.
Mix-up: Mix-ups are a tool used by many characters and in some cases is more
of a style than a tactic. Some characters rely very heavily on mix-ups for
damage. Mix-ups is simply the art of changing the hit type of your attacks
and strings. Some strings have several variations that serve as mix-ups.
Those characters lacking in string variations will have to have more
customized mix-ups devised for them. Mix-ups like wake-up games and juggles
are one of the major sources of damage in Tekken. Mastering the use of
mix-ups and how to counter them is yet another important step in mastering
Tekken.
Parry: Many characters in Tekken have parries. Unlike reversals, parries do
not deal damage, but they cant be chickened either. Parries simply grab the
attackers limb for a moment disrupting any chains they may be in the middle
of. More importantly parries will either leave you with the advantage or
leave neither you or your enemy with the advantage. Either of these is
better than being at a disadvantage. Note that standard parries cannot parry
throws, knees, elbows, or headbutts. The command input for most but not all
parries is back+left punch+left kick or back+right punch+right kick. Ling
Xiaoyu for example parries differently. Her parries command input is
back+left punch+right kick. Parries are very powerful tools that should not
be underestimated just because they do no damage. Parries must be timed to
intercept an incoming attack. As mentioned earlier, not all characters
have a parry.
Parry, Low: Low parries are not new to Tekken 6, but their effect has been
changed. In previous Tekken installments the low parry put your opponent in
an off balance state giving you a serious advantage often resulting in
combos. In Tekken 6 they seem to have been toned down a bit. Now they throw
your opponent to the ground causing a small bounce. This can be taken
advantage of with shorter less damaging combos, but most characters will not
be able to launch their opponent after a low parry for juggle damage. Note
that even though a low parry looks painful on the receiving end, it deals no
damage. The command input for a low parry is forward+down timed to
intercept an incoming attack. All characters can perform a standard low
parry, but not all low attacks can be parried. Low parries will be covered
in greater detail in the basic combat section of the guide.
Parry, Special: Some characters have special parries that function
differently than standard parries. The most common special parry is an
attack that has a parry built in to it. Asuka's Raging Storm attack is a
good example of a special parry. If the parry motion succeeds in parrying
her opponents low attack, the 2 mid punches that follow it are gauranteed to
connect. Like standard parries, special parries cannot be chickened. Unlike
standard parries, many special parries gaurantee damage making them among the
very best defensive options at a characters disposal. The disadvantage to
most special parries is that attacks are built into the parry, and the whole
sequence must play out. If you miscalculate your special parry, your
opponent will have a much larger window in which to retaliate.
Poke: A poke references an attack. A poking attack type is one with a quick
wind-up and a quick recovery. A jab for example is a poking attack. A
poking game or style refers to using a variety of poking attacks hitting
high, low, and medium with varying ranges to widdle down your opponent.
Most importantly, pokes are safe even when guarded and usually stop and go.
A poking style benefits most from a strong defense because the idea of poking
is to do damage and take none in return, which is something strings arent
as good at.
Priority: Priority determines an attacks impact window. The more frames in
which an attack can connect and deal damage the more priority it generally
has. In Tekken 5 one such move was King's Convict Kick. Almost any action
other than guarding that is taken during the attack's animation results in
the kick connecting and then following up with a DDT due to the counter hit.
Whether the Convict Kick still has amazing priority in Tekken 6 I'm unsure.
With experience will come knowledge of many high priority attacks.
The more comprehensive your understanding of priority, the greater your
advantage when dealing with any opponent.
Punisher: A punisher references an attack that is used when an
opponent misses completely with an attack. The most important factors in
determining which punisher to use in your arsenal is range and wind-up. Your
opponent may whiff with an attack and wind up close to you, or perhaps he
attempted to bait you and attacked leaving some distance in between you.
It is important to know many punishers for the many situations that arise in
Tekken. What separates a punishing attack from a standard retaliatory strike
is damage. You may be able to go into a jap string when your opponent misses
but this is not a punisher since almost any attack used after the first or
second jab will be blocked. For this reason, most punishers are either fast
hard hitting strikes that knock your opponent down and starts the wake-up
game, or a launcher that starts a juggle.
Rage: Rage is fairly new to Tekken series, though it first appeared in Tekken
Tag. Your tag partner would become angry if you suffered to many hits. In
Tekken 6 Rage is activated when your health meter is lessened to a certain
point. As of now, Im unsure what the percentage is or if its the same for
all characters. Any detailed information on rage is appreciated.
Range: Range is usually a reference to the amount of distance an attack can
cover. It can also reference a characters optimal range. Understanding the
maximum distance that each character can attack from is important in helping
you remain at the distance that is best for you and your character. Among
the very worst mistakes you can make in Tekken is to come up short with an
attack. This leaves you completely open to your opponent.
Recovery: Every attack or motion in Tekken has a recovery time. This is the
number of frames it takes for the move animation to finish after it connects.
Moves with quick recovery times are often called "safe moves". Moves that
have long recovery times are called high risk. It is important to note that
just because a move has a long recovery time doesnt mean its high risk.
Many attacks with long recovery times cause guard stun when blocked. In most
cases this will allow you to recover at a disadvantage. In some cases
these attacks will even leave you at an advantage allowing you to continue
attacking.
Reversal: This is a defensive technique that several characters have. It
allows the character to stop a string or attack by grabbing the enemy's
limb. Following this the character will usually perform some type of throw
animation resulting in damage to the attacker and almost always knock-down.
Elbows, knees, and headbutts cannot be reversed. The only protection
characters have against reversals is a chicken. Reversals must be timed to
intercept an incoming attack. Reversal windows vary by character. It is
important to note that it is not always in your best interest to reverse
attacks. Experienced players have been known to bait players to reverse
an attack so they can chicken it.
Reversal, Special: Some characters have special reversals either in addition
to or in lieu of standard reversals. Wang for example can reverse left
punches without fear of being chickened. The fact that his left punch
reversal cant be chickened makes it special. King can do the same with
kicks and right punches. So despite looking and functioning just like
standard reversals, they are much more dangerous. The only low reversal
I'm aware of is the auto reversal that Anna does out of her Chaos Judgment
stance. It is rare enough to be considered special, but if more low
reversals have been added to Tekken 6 I'll create a separate section for
them. Some characters even have reversals that can be used during a tackle.
There are likely many more instances in which reversals can be used that I
will add after I discover them.
Running: The act of running in Tekken is much deeper than most players
initially realize. Most characters can perform 6 special moves that can only
be done while running. Note that unlike previous installments of Tekken,
running attacks of any kind can not be reversed.
-Left kick will perform a jump kick that hits medium,
causes guard stun when blocked, knocks down on hit and does considerable
damage. Some characters have variations of this attack. Feng's animation
for example looks different and hits high instead of medium. Most female
characters fall to the ground instead of landing on their feet after this
attack, but more importantly it causes far less guard stun than the standard
running jump kick. The jump kick can actually be performed without running
at all. Tapping forward 3 times very rapidly and then the left kick will
result in a jump kick so long as your opponent isnt so close he disrupts your
forward momentum.
-The second move is performed with right kick. The attack
is a sliding trip attack. If done earlier enough during the run to hit your
enemy at maximum range this attack will avoid medium and high attacks. If it
is blocked you'll be at the feet of your opponent inviting him to start the
wake up game. IF you do this move late during the run, it is harder to
anticipate, but easier to thwart with a jab. More importantly though, is the
fact that if the slide trip hits late, u will slide beneath your opponent and
get a free gauranteed wake-up sweep. Note that not all characters have this
attack.
-The third attack is a cross-arm dive. It hits medium and knocks down upon
connection. It causes guard stun if blocked. Lastly it evades high attacks
and has astonishing priority. If you initiate this attack late in your run
when your almost on top of your opponent, they will recover from the guard
stun before you recover from the dive giving them a hefty advantage. If on
the other hand you initiate this attack early during the run and it gets
blocked very late during its animation, you will recover from the dive before
your opponent recovers from the guard stun giving you the hefty advantage
instead. Note that this attack can hit opponents lying on the ground if
performed early during the run so that as you go into the roll to stand up
out of the dive you land on enemy. Alisa has a modified version that has
different hit properties. The command input for this attack is
left punch+right punch while running.
-The fourth attack is a standard tackle. If less than 3 steps is taken
while running you will tackle your opponent. After the tackle characters
will mount their opponent. Most characters have the standard 5 hit punch
combo. Characters with special tackles or tackle moves will still have
access to these expanded options. Marduk for example will have his
take-down options instead, since he doesnt have the standard 5 hit punch
combo.
-The fifth attack is a shoulder tackle. The shoulder hits medium and is
unblockable. You must take 3 steps or more while running to initiate a
shoulder tackle. A long range attack is perhaps the best way to thwart the
shoulder tackle. It can be side stepped, but the timing is critical.
Special side steps are much more practical. As a last ditch effort to avoid
a tackle, you can jump backwards. If its late enough, you can avoid the
tackle altogether, even if it hits, your in the air and take reduced damage.
Note that there is no command input, after 3 steps your character will
shoulder tackle. Note however that if your opponent moves towards you before
you finish the third step, you will perform a standard tackle instead.
-The final Special run move is the running step. For this attack to occur,
your opponent must be lying down. And you must have taken at least 2 running
steps. The attack is unblockable. Rolling to the side with the right timing
will avoid the attack. A spring kick or toe kick can also thwart this
attack, but all of these things with the exception of the side roll must be
performed early. Note that this is not a good move to use for wake up games
as after the step, your opponent will have ample time to recover. Also, be
prepared to get away from the wall after this move connects as this attack
will often leave you with your back to the wall.
Note that Ganryu doesnt have the trip, jump kick, or dive. I need to confirm
if he has a tackle.
Safe Hit: A safe hit put simply is any attack that recovers before your
opponent can use any attack on you. The best way to test this if you dont
know the frame count of your attacks recovery is to have a friend block the
attack while mashing the jab button as fast as possible. If you get hit by a
jab after he is done blocking the attack, the move is not safe. If you block
it, then it is a safe attack. Note that some attacks may create more
range than a jab can cover, this does not mean the move is safe. If this
happens, find the fastest attack you can with a longer range.
Side Step: Side stepping in Tekken is the act of quickly moving to the side
of your opponent. This is done by tapping either up or down on the control
pad or joystick. Tapping it twice and holding will result in continuous
movement to the side. Many attacks can be side stepped in Tekken. Some are
side stepped very easily, while others are more difficult, and still others
can not be side stepped at all. Three things come into play when determining
whether a side step will be successful. First is when the side step is
initiated. Typically it is best to wait as long as possible to side step as
this gives you the best chance of evading the attack. Secondly is the
direction you choose to side step. Some attacks are easily side stepped by
moving to your characters left while others will guarantee you get hit by
side stepping left. Lastly, each attack has a tracking rating. The higher
this rating, the better the attack tracks. Attacks with excellent tracking
simply can not be side stepped, while those with poor tracking can be side
stepped even with poor timing. Note that continuously moving to the side by
tapping twice and holding will not evade attacks. This function is most
often used for maneuvering away from a wall or to circle an opponent in the
middle of a long string. Also note that you can not guard while side
stepping. Finally, many characters have special attacks that are used during
a side step.
Side Step, Special: Some characters have special side stepping movements.
Usually these side steps will move farther to the side, or move more
quickly. Other special side steps have attacks built in. These side step
attacks evade while counter attacking all at once.
Stun: Stun is a hit property at its simplest. There are so many forms of
stun however that it deserves a special section of its own. Stunning no
matter its form will incapacitate your opponent giving you a lot more freedom
in how you can proceed to thrash him/her.
-Crouching stuns can occur when some attacks connect. They leave the
defender in a crouching position when they recover. Usually the defender
will have ample time to guard when stunned in this fashion. It does severely
limit the stunned individuals offense however as they can only use crouching
and while-rising attacks from this position.
-Crumple Stun is perhaps the most beneficial form of stun. The stunned
individual doubles over slowly falling to the ground head first and face
down. It gives the attacker ample time to start a combo with medium or low
attacks.
-Guard Stun is perhaps the most common form of stun. After guarding against
a powerful attack you will see yourself stagger a bit. Usually when
suffering guard stun it just takes longer to attack. In previous
installments of Tekken it was possible to create guard stun with some moves
that recovered very quickly. If you could attack again before the stunned
individual recovered enough you could guarantee you connect with your next
attack. I have yet to see any attack accomplish this in Tekken 6 however.
It is important to try attacking during different degrees of guard stun from
different attacks as often times you can attack before it looks as if the
guard stun animation is finished.
-Lifting Stun is a fairly useful as far as stuns go. A Lifting Stun attack
will slightly lift your opponent off the ground. This gives you a serious
advantage, but not enough to guarantee your next hit. If your next hit does
connect however, the opponent immediately is subject to a juggle. Even a
simple jab will propel your opponent into the air if it connects just after a
Lifting Stun. Attacks will rarely connect after Lifting Stun, but the fact
that you have such a large advantage is not to be overlooked.
-Topple Back Stun is similar to crumple stun, but the enemy doubles over and
staggers backwards to the ground. Topple Back Stun gives less time to start
a combo, but its still plenty if your expecting it. This type of stun will
sometimes require a longer range launcher or combos starter than with the
crumple stun. In any case this is the second best form of stun you can have
in your favor.
-Turn Stun knocks the victim sideways. This type of stun rarely leaves the
attacker with a significant advantage, but it forces the defender to act
while at a disadvantage. Since this stun leaves the victim facing away
from his opponent he can not guard attacks unless he acts in some way. Note
that this stun can occur even while guarding, though the disadvantage isnt as
severe.
-Wall Stun is something all characters can utilize assuming the stage your in
has walls. Most hits that would knock a character down with the exception of
most sweeps will cause wall stun instead of knock-down if they connect.
Characters are incapacitated and at the the mercy of their opponent while
wall stunned.
-Most stuns will fall into one of the 7 types covered above. It is important
to note that each stun is unique however. Each character has different ways
in which to capitalize on the various forms of stun. Practice so that you
can use the most damaging attacks or strings at your disposal without
thinking when a certain type of stun is created.
Super Charge: A super charge takes a little over a second to perform. While
charged your characters hands will emit a yellow glow. The charge will last
for around 5 seconds or until you successfully strike your opponent. When
the first hit lands the charge ends. Any attacks that connect while charged
are counter hits even if the standard requisites for landing a counter hit
havent been met. The down side to super charging is that for as long as it
lasts you will be unable to guard at all. If your opponent blocks your
string and your still charged when he gains the advantage you will not be
able to block. Some characters have expanded strings or attacks that are
only accessible while charged. The standard input for a super charge is
left punch+right punch+left kick+right kick. Some characters, usually those
possessing additional attacks while charged have a special command input for
their super charge. After connecting with certain powerful attacks the
character need only hold left punch+right punch or
down+left punch+right punch. Certain characters have more uses for a super
charge than others. Either way, you must have strong evasion or feint
skills to avoid getting struck while charged. Last but not least is a very
special property that a super charge adds to all of your attacks. Your
opponent will suffer a small amount of damage from each strike even if he
guards those strikes. Further more, it is possible to kill your opponent
with this guard penetrating damage. Be ready to both employ and deal with
super charges once health meters get low! Note that if you are struck
while charged, the attack will also be a counter hit. Super charging is a
double edged sword if ever there was one.
Throw: Throws are a type of attack that deserves some special attention.
This is mostly because unlike other attacks, throws can not be blocked.
They also have some of the highest damage that any character can inflict with
a single attack. Almost all throws leave your enemy on the ground allowing
for an additional hit in some cases or immersing them in a wake-up game.
Standard front throws can be used in conjunction with a forward input to
vastly increase their range, and throws from the side and back do even more
damage! Standard throws do have some drawbacks however. Standard throws are
high attacks and can easily be punished by while rising attacks, many of
which are launchers. And as far as I know all standard throws can be
escaped. Throws are a major part of any characters mix-ups precisely because
they cant be guarded. Some players rely very heavily on throws, and some
characters like King and Nina have an absolutely lethal throw game. Knowing
when to use throws and how to protect yourself from them is a vital step in
mastering Tekken.
Throw, Back: Back throws, or throws used to grapple an opponent from behind
typically do twice the damage of standard throws from the front. More
importantly, they can not be escaped! Be careful any time you put yourself
in a position where your back is to the enemy. If you find yourself in this
precarious position, it is almost always your best option to crouch an
attack. Doing this will avoid the throw in most cases and turn you around.
Throw, Side: Side throws do about 40% more damage than standard front throws,
but they are the easiest to escape as there is no guessing. If a throw is
attempted to your characters left, then the left punch button will always
escape it, and if the throw attempt is to your characters right the right
punch button will always be used to escape it.
Throw, Special: Special throws are some of the most dangerous attacks in
all of Tekken, right up there with launchers. Special throws fall into
several different categories.
-Aerial Throws can be used against characters in the air. They can not be
escaped, but tend to do less damage in comparison to standard throws. Very
few characters have aerial throws.
-Crouching Throws do about as much damage as standard throws, but they hit
medium making them ideal for throwing opponents who crouch to avoid standard
throws. Those characters that have crouching throws will have their default
high throws as well giving them mix up options purely with throws. Crouching
throws can be escaped in most cases. Not all characters have crouching
throws.
-Ground Throws are yet another tool that can be used in the wake-up game for
those very few characters that possess them. They often have to be used
before your opponent falls to the ground completely. In previous Tekken
installments ground throws were notoriously difficult to connect with.
Certain attacks ensure you can get them off, usually attacks that create
crumple stun. Ground throws can be escaped. The escape method is based on
the character employing the ground throw or your position on the ground.
Among the very few characters possessing ground throws are King, Armor King,
and Marduk.
-Impact Throws are not really throws at all, but they have an animation
similar to most throws. certain characters have attacks that will add a
throw to a standard attack if it connects. These throws can not be escaped.
-Linking Throws or chain throws are similar to strings in that they come in
rapid succession. An escape attempt can be made for each throw in the chain.
If the chain is escaped, the remaining throws in the chain are not performed.
Typically, the throws at the start of the chain do very little damage, while
those throws towards the end of the chain are very strong. If all the throws
in a throw link are successful they can easily deplete half of a characters
health. Despite their amazing power they have many escape points making it
unlikely for someone who is actively trying to escape to suffer the entire
throw chain. Note that it takes considerable practice and memorization to
learn the variations of many linking throws. These variations are essential
to using throw links effectively. If you only know a single variation for a
throw, it becomes very likely it will be escaped if the player has fought you
before. Unlike standard throws, if you escape a throw chain neither of you
will have the advantage.
-Running Throws are usually performed like standard throws, except they are
performed while you are running. They usually do more damage than standard
throws. Only a handful of characters possess running throws. Those
characters who attempt to throw during a run and dont possess these throw
types will use a standard throw instead.
-Tackle Throws come in 2 phases. First is the actual tackle which hits
medium. Almost all characters can tackle while running, but many also have
stand alone tackles. Almost, if not all tackles are escaped by pressing
right punch. The tackle itself does very little damage, it is the
second phase of a tackle that causes the majority of damage. Most characters
have the 5 hit mounted punch attack. The mounted punches have an escape
point before the first punch and before the fourth punch. Mounted punches
also have 2 variations creating a guessing game for both escape points. The
punch series can start with either a left or right punch and are escaped by
pressing the opposing punch. If for example the tackle starts with a right
punch, it is escaped with a left punch. The fourth punch can be changed up
to be either a left or right punch and are escaped in the same manner they
are during the first escape point. Some characters can perform throws or
linking throws during a tackle. In most cases these throws can be performed
after the third punch in the mounted punch sequence. It could be hasty to
say so, but in my experience most throws during a tackle are escaped with
left punch+right punch. So while tackles hit medium and almost if not all
characters can use them, they can have up to 3 escape points severely
limiting the amount of damage you can hope to achieve with them. Tackles
also have a point in which they can be reversed. A just input of
left punch+right punch just before your characters back hits the ground will
reverse the tackle leaving you on top. Marduk is an exception to this
however. His tackle can be escaped, but not reversed. Furthermore if
Marduk's tackle connects you will only have one opportunity to escape
his next attack. The escape method for his attacks is the same as
it is for characters using mounted punches. If he initiates the attack with
his left arm, escape with right punch. Marduk has some mounted attacks that
use both arms, to escape these attacks you must either press nothing or if
you prefer you can press left punch+right punch.
-Tossing Throws are best employed near a wall. This allows you to tack on
additional damage by entering a wall game. Tossing throws not only have the
initial escape chance, but some can have their damage reduced with a well
timed ukemi/tech roll. Some tossing throws allow you to juggle your opponent
instead of letting them hit the ground for the full throw damage. The proper
juggle will almost always yield more damage than letting the throw finish.
-Wall Throws are new to Tekkken 6. To my knowledge, only Lili and Marduk
and King have wall throws. Wall throws can only be used on opponents who are
wall stunned. There damage is on par with back throws. Also like back
throws, wall throws cannot be escaped.
Tracking: Tracking refers to how well an attack will succeed against evasion.
Tracking is a property of attacks. Some attacks have very good
tracking while others have very poor tracking. Some attacks only track well
to the left or right making side-stepping in the other direction a viable
form of evasion. For characters or players who rely heavily on side-stepping
for defense, understanding each attacks tracking is essential.
Ukemi/Tech Roll: Tech rolls or Ukemi is a defensive maneuver used when you
are knocked down. It is a form of rapid recovery from knock-down. Press
either punch when you contact the ground to quickly roll and recover to your
characters left. Press either kick when you contact the ground to quickly
roll and recover to your characters right. Pressing forward will spring
your character up the moment he touches the ground. Most of the time a
rolling ukemi will be your best option when knocked down, but they arent
completely safe depending on the recovery of the move used to knock you down.
Ukemi's can only be used when you make contact with the ground with your
back first, though there are a few exceptions to this such as Paul's
Thrasher. In addition, many attacks that violently smash you into the ground
dont allow for the use of ukemi. You can't use ukemi during bounces either.
Despite its limitations, this is still a great defensive tactic and one you
should use at almost every opportunity. As mentioned under throws, certain
throws such as King's Giant Swing can be tech rolled out of to negate some
of the throws damage.
Unblockable: All characters have at least 1 unblockable attack. The most
obvious difference of unblockable attacks is that they can not be guarded
against. These attack simply ignore guard. Most unblockable attacks have
a very long wind-up time that is often accompanied by colorful electricity or
swirls. Unblockable attacks also tend to be extremely powerful. Some are so
powerful in fact, that it would only take 2 of them to kill a character at
full health. Unblockable attacks have unrivaled priority. During the frames
in which an unblockable attack can connect, no normal attack can hope to
strike by advantage of priority. Unblockable recovery is average to slow,
but in no way as terrible as their wind-up. Most unblockable attacks hit
medium and have good range. Despite having so many strengths, their wind-up
is in most cases more than enough to make up for all of these strengths and
then some. Unblockable's with even an average wind-up are practical to use
in more situations. Those with the terribly long wind-ups must be used
carefully and in conjunction with their cancel commands to achieve any
success that isnt derived from pure luck.
Wake-up Game: Wake-up games dont vary much from character to character, but
remain a good source of damage if your wake-up game is good. Your wake-up
game is essentially your skill at dealing as much damage as possible before
your opponent is able to stand back up after being knocked down. In its
purest form the wake-up game is no different than fighting a standing
opponent in a typical Tekken match. It is just far less complex because
your opponents options while on the ground are severely limited and at the
same time your options for striking them is more limited. High attacks are
useless in a wake-up game, so you must omit all of those moves as options.
The wake-up game will be explained in greater detail in the basic combat
section of this guide.
Wall Break: Wall Breaks are similar to ground breaks. After smashing an
opponent into a wall with a powerful attack it will be completely destroyed
revealing an additional portion of the stage. More importantly are your
options available against an opponent who has just been used to destroy the
wall. The victim in this situation will be in a very rare and unique state.
They will be in a complete state of wall stun, but there will no longer be a
wall behind them. So the attacker must switch to a type of combo or juggle
instead of going into their wall game options. It is likely that characters
who excel at juggles will do more damage where those who excel at wall
punishment will do less damage. Because wall breaks are so new to Tekken new
methods of dealing optimal damage in this rare situation are still being
discovered/created. It seems unusual to me, but so far Ive only found a
single stage with a breakable wall. That stage is the Temple Grounds. I
suspect there are other stages with breakable walls and Id appreciate emails
that have verified other stages with breakable walls.
Wall Game: Unlike the wake-up game, wall game doesnt refer to a smaller less
complex game within Tekken, but rather it refers to how well a character can
utilize the walls in a stage. For example, Anna has an excellent wall game
where as Asuka has a very poor wall game. The strength of a character's wall
game is determined primarily by how much damage they can inflict while their
opponent is in a state of wall stun. Another less important element of a
character's wall game is how well a character is able to maneuver their
opponent into a wall. Wall games are very similar to juggles. Once you
are aware of which strings or attacks you can use to dish out the most damage
to a character in a state of wall stun you have mastered this particular
element of Tekken. Note that the height at which a character becomes stunned
will often result in being able to connect with a larger or more powerful
string. The time it takes for a character to slide down the wall after being
popped up into a wall adds to the standard amount of time that wall stun
lasts. This in turn allows for longer strings or slower more powerful
strings.
While Rising: While rising is a state you will often find your character in
either intentionally or unintentionally. You are in this state whenever your
character is rising out of a crouch into a standing position. All characters
have unique attacks or movements they can use while in this state. The
advantage of while rising attacks is that most of them are pretty potent.
They have nice hit properties and do decent damage. Many launchers in Tekken
come from this state. The disadvantage of this state is that your options to
act are limited. Some enemy attacks may force you into a crouched state that
in turn forces you into a while rising state if you dont hold down to remain
crouched.
-While Rising, Instant: To use while rising attacks and options deliberately
and quickly you must use the command input of down+back to crouch and
immediately release. Simply tapping down will result in a side step rather
than a quick crouch.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Section 2
Basic Combat Guide
In the Basic Combat section of this guide I will cover the primary forms of
damage that characters in Tekken utilize. I will also touch on a personal
theory of mine that determines the strength and skill of a player.
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --
What makes one Tekken player better than another? What does one focus on to
become a better Tekken player? The answer to both of these questions is
PATTERNS.
We now know that the primary function of the right side of the human brain as
it relates to growth and development is to find patterns in everything we
perceive. Some minds will perceive patterns differently than others, but for
the most part, less complex patterns will be more widely accepted and easier
to identify. Tekken is no exception to this. The creators of Tekken
perceive with patterns just as the players do. That said, we can establish
that Tekken like all things is a game of patterns. I have noticed in my
many online matches of Tekken that ALL players fall into predetermined attack
patterns. The main reason for this is again that the mind perceives through
the use of patterns. The second reason is that Tekken has a finite number of
possibilities for any given situation. These possibilities are vast, but
still limited and therefore easier to perceive.
So how exactly can we use patterns to improve our play? To improve your
offense in Tekken you should strive to identify your own attack patterns.
Once you identify your attack patterns, you can work on making them more
complex and harder for other players to perceive. To improve one's defense
you should strive to familiarize yourself with as many attack patterns as
possible.
Take a random attack string of your primary character and all the
variables of that string. These are programmed attack patterns already
built into the game. Even with variations the patterns of a single attack
string will rarely exceed 3 or 4. Because there are only 3 or 4 variations
of this attack strings pattern it is very easy for players to perceive and
defend against. To counter this limitation, we must deviate from the pre-
programmed strings and create customized attack sequences. Focus on your
opponent's attack sequences, no matter how complex or random his attacks,
there must inevitably be a pattern. Even a button masher subconsciously
conforms to patterns when he presses the buttons. Because multiple command
inputs are not registered by the Tekken program, it makes the attacks of a
button masher seem completely random and yet they are not random. Because
Tekken is a game of finite possibilities, if you play enough players and
identify enough patterns in their play styles your defense will vastly
improve. Also, to maintain a strong defense do not fall into the trap your
own mind will sometimes set for you. I have been caught in this trap many
times and Ive seen countless others get caught in this trap as well. The
trap occurs when you get an attack sequence, string, or pattern in your head
and you try to connect with it and it fails. Your opponent sees right
through it. Many people have an instinct or a need to connect with that
same attack that failed. If this happens, you have fallen into the trap.
By revolving your play style around this particular attack or sequence or
what have you, even if only temporarily, you are simplifying your patterns.
By simplifying your attack patterns, you severely weaken your offense.
A recap... To improve your offense, make your own patterns as complex as
possible. Even if it means giving your opponent a momentary advantage, it
prevents them from determining what you will do next. After all, if they
know what your going to do next, there is no need for reflex or coordinated
skill. To improve your defense, identify as many patterns as possible.
The objective of any match is to penetrate your foe's defenses to deal enough
damage to deplete all of their health. So we are going to cover the primary
forms in which damage is dealt. Almost all damage in Tekken comes in 1 of 3
forms. It comes from either juggles, mix-ups, or the wake-up game.
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Mix-ups
Mix-ups are a direct representation of one's ability to create patterns. The
more complex your attack patterns the better your mix-up game will be.
Mix-ups are comprised of 4 attack types, high, medium, low, and throws.
The idea of a mix-up is not to hit with all of your attacks, but to hit with
just 1 of your attacks. That attack should always best serve your goal of
depleting all of your opponents health. For example, if your opponent has
most of his health and he isnt familiar with your attack
patterns you should use a mix up that will allow you to connect with either
a launcher or a knock-down attack. If however this situation is the same
except that your opponent has very little health, you should use a mix up to
connect with a single hit that is more difficult to anticipate or block than
a launcher. Launchers tend to have poor recovery, and are unsafe if blocked.
If you only need one more connection to defeat your opponent dont risk your
defeat by using an unsafe attack.
Here is a very simple example of a mix-up so you have a place to start.
Bruce Irving has a simple low kick called Trident Low with a simple command
input of down+right kick. Its completely safe whether it connects or is
blocked. Poke your opponent with this attack at every opportunity until they
start guarding low. When they start guarding it, use his Knee Launcher.
The command input for the Knee Launcher is back, forward+right kick.
This attack has similar range, and animates only slightly slower than the
Trident Low. On top of that, it uses the same limb, Bruce's right leg,
making it even more difficult to see coming. The Knee Launcher hits medium
and is a great launcher for high damage juggles. Congratulations! you just
mixed up your opponent. You used an attack the Trident Low not with the
intention of dealing damage with it, but with the intention of getting your
opponent to alter his defense. This in turn left him vulnerable to the
medium hitting Knee Launcher which starts a massive juggle.
So step 1 of our offense is to use mix-ups to connect with attacks that will
either start a juggle or start a wake-up game. The reason for this is
because your opponent has no options while in the air, and his options while
on the ground are severely limited. Just as importantly, in both the air and
the ground your opponent is unable to guard.
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Juggles
Juggles are a reliable form of damage for all characters. There can be no
juggle without a launcher, so that is the most important part of a juggle.
Different launchers allow for different juggles. The juggle command input
should be second nature whenever a launcher connects essentially making them
one attack. Almost all characters have 7 juggles on their command list.
Juggles themselves are very very simple because at most you only need 2
juggles for each launcher your character has. The first juggle for each
launcher is to deal as much damage as possible before your opponent is rid of
his incapacitation. It will take practice and experimentation to find
powerful juggles that you are comfortable with. The second juggle should be
used if your opponent will hit the wall of a stage before the juggle
finishes. By using a standard juggle near a wall, many of the juggles
hits will miss their mark. Your second juggle should be short and sweet and
allow you to move seamlessly into your characters wall game to optimize your
damage. Typically, the more lift a launcher has, the stronger the juggle
that can be used with it.
Juggle resetting is a form of mix up that can be used during certain juggles.
A juggle reset point occurs when your opponent almost fully lands on the
ground. When this happens your opponent will have the option to ukemi and
recover. You as the juggler need to guess whether your opponent will ukemi
or attempt to fall completely to the ground. If he attempts to fall to the
ground you should begin another juggle with a low attack that will lift your
opponent off the ground. If your opponent uses an ukemi in hopes of
recovering, you should use a preemptive attack to strike or even launch your
opponent.
Bouncing is a new aspect of the juggle system exclusive to Tekken 6.
You should strive to bounce your opponent just as they hit the wall as this
will ensure additional wall hits. The other time you might consider using
a bounce is to smash your opponent through the ground in those stages you are
able to. Note that despite the long pause after a ground break, the juggle
counter will not be reset.
Lastly Ill be covering juggle properties. Each hit of a juggle will add
to what is called the juggle counter. The juggle counter determines how much
forward momentum an attack will generate. For example, an attack used early
in a juggle will not propel your opponent as much as the same attack later
in the juggle. The juggle counter ensures that juggles are not infinite.
The juggle counter also determines the amount of damage each attack will
deal. Each successive attack of a juggle will have its damage diminished by
a percentage.
Despite the many restrictions imposed by the juggle counter, juggles remain
the most reliable form of damage for the majority of characters in Tekken.
As mentioned earlier, examples of juggles can be found on your character's
command list. It just takes practice and experimentation to master your
juggles.
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Wake-up Game
It comes as no surprise that more people struggle with their wake-up game
than anything else in Tekken. The main reason for this is that there is no
way to practice your wake-up game without actually playing. Now after
playing Tekken 6 online for several weeks I know more than ever before just
how important a good wake-up game is. I have beaten players that were
superior to me in most other areas. Because I was able to knock them down
once or twice in a round, I was able to snag victory. It wasnt even so much
that they got knocked down, but that they didnt know what to do while on the
ground to minimize the damage I could inflict on them.
The wake-up game begins the moment either you or your opponent hit the ground
without a successful ukemi. The person still standing has almost all of
their attack options with the exception of high attacks. The person on the
ground has severely limited options. To keep this section simple, yet
informative we will be covering all of the options you have when your on the
ground. We will learn what each of these options does for the individual on
the ground and how they are defeated by the individual standing. There are
4 ways of being prone in Tekken's wake-up game. We will cover the options of
each state.
-Face Up, Feet First(Lying on your back with your feet towards your opponent)
First is to simply remain motionless on the ground. This state will avoid a
great many attacks. This is probably the most overlooked tactic in most
players wake-up games. The standing player assumes the grounded player will
try to recover from this state as soon as possible and will attack with
medium attacks or low attacks to intercept most actions the player might
take. Because the attacker has the advantage, these attacks will often
succeed. By waiting for the over eager attacker to whiff and then rising you
not only avoid the damage, but in most cases rise with the advantage! Even
if the attack hits you on the ground, you can often recover right after it
without fear. To sum it up, doing nothing is a great option especially if
you are in the lead.
Next is the Toe Kick. The command input for the toe kick is down+left kick.
Its strengths are that it is safe whether it hits or is guarded and that
it is perhaps the fastest attack you have available to you while on the
ground. Its weaknesses are very low damage, very short range, very low
priority, it has no hit properties, and lastly you are still at a
disadvantage even if this attack connects. Despite its many weaknesses the
toe kick definitely has an important place in the wake-up game. Its speed
and safety are something none of the other attacks on the ground can match.
The toe kick will succeed against most running attacks, but should the runner
stop a bit early and launch a medium attack the toe kick will be punished.
In fact most medium attacks with a vertical arc like heel drops, while rising
upper cuts or kicks will almost always succeed against the toe kick due to
its low priority. The toe kick can also be low parried. With a little
practice it becomes easy to tell when this attack should be used.
Next is the right and left ground rolls. These rolls will evade some attacks
and not others. The command input for ground rolls is left punch to roll
into the background or down+left punch to roll into the foreground. By
holding down the left punch button you will roll to either side twice. By
holding down after initiating either roll, you will remain on the ground in a
face down, feet first position. If down is not held you will rise normally
after your roll. If a viable attack command input is entered, you will
perform the appropriate attack while rising.
As discussed above, your opponent will have a predetermined pattern
that is even more simple during the wake-up game. If he is using
the same attacks often, do some defensive training to determine if a ground
roll will avoid any of these attacks. The best thing about the ground roll
is that it only removes 1 option from your wake-up game. After a ground
roll you cant use another ground roll, but you can still use any other action
while on the ground. So, ground rolls have a place in your defense when
dealing with predictable attackers and most running attacks. They are
especially good at avoiding attacks with vertical attack arcs.
As for dealing with ground rolls from the attackers point of view, quick low
sweeping attacks work best, most other attacks are hit or miss. Note while
rolling your only vulnerable to attacks that hit grounded opponents.
Now for a fun one, the Spring Attack. A little known fact is that there are
2 command inputs for the spring attack. First is back, right kick, left kick
all in rapid succession. This will result in a very quick spring attack.
The second command input is back, right kick+left kick which will result in a
delayed spring attack. The spring attack has medium range, hits medium, and
has good priority. It is a rather slow attack however, and is easily
punished if it is blocked early in its animation or if it misses altogether.
The idea is to hit with the spring attack as late in its animation as
possible or with a counter hit. If this is accomplished, it is even possible
to do a very small juggle with some characters. Those struck by the spring
attack can recover using an ukemi leaving them at a slight disadvantage. The
spring attack is best used against opponents entering medium range from long
range with a dash, not a run. Because the initial part of the spring
attack's animation is leaning back a bit, it is very useful against overly-
aggressive opponents. It is important not to over use this tactic as the
punishment if it misses can be brutal. Note some characters lack the
standard spring attack and instead spring into a cross arm dive. This option
functions like a normal cross arm dive with a significant increase in
wind-up
The rising sweep is next on our list. The command input for the rising sweep
is a simple tap of the left kick. The rising sweep has been toned down in
Tekken 6. In previous Tekken installments the rising sweep would knock your
opponent down on hit. In Tekken 6 the rising sweep only knocks down on a
counter hit. Still its pretty quick and is safe on block(verify) and hit.
The rising sweep is ineffective against almost all running attacks. It is
best used after an opponent misses you with an attack because you remained
prone. For attackers dealing with the rising sweep the lack of knock down
vastly reduces the danger of this attack. Most speedy medium hits will
defeat the rising sweep. Feints or attacks with a very quick recovery are
also good options. After the feint, a low parry will set the grounded player
up for a bounce juggle.
The rising round kick is a players next option from this grounded state. The
command input for the rising round kick is a simple right kick. It
has decent speed, good range, and it hits medium. The rising round kick will
almost always defeat most running attacks except the shoulder tackle, the
cross arm dive and the sliding trip if used at maximum distance. It is safe
on both hit and block, and knocks down on a counter hit. This attack is
especially good at thwarting the running jump kick. Due to the jump kick's
long wind-up, the rising round kick will almost always win out even if its
started late. Attackers should keep in mind this is one of the rising
players safer options. A very quick medium attack will defeat it and
simply blocking it will leave you at an advantage.
Next in line is the forward and backward rolls. The command input is forward
for a forward roll, and back for a backwards roll. These movements are used
to give yourself more distance between you and your enemy or to close the gap
instead. These rolls are considered rising actions, so you will always be
standing when you finish any action out of a forward or backwards roll. Your
attack options are the rising sweep, the rising round kick, and a final
option that is only available from a forward or backward roll, the cross arm
dive. Rolling forward is a great way to mess up your opponents wake up game.
Attackers often use running attacks during the wake-up game to stay on top of
their grounded enemy. By rolling forward, you deny them a step or 2 which
often times makes their planned attack fail. A backwards roll is fairly
ineffective against running attacks and in many cases will grant your
opponent a free shoulder tackle. A backwards roll is effective against
characters who are at medium range and lack long range medium attacks.
Forward and backward rolls are something for attackers to keep an eye out for
as they are very slow and can be punished with medium hits that often lead
to small juggles and a continued wake-up game.
The cross arm dive is next on our list and can only be used as part of a
spring attack for certain characters or during a forward or backward roll.
The cross arm dive is simply an excellent attack. It hits medium, avoids
high attacks, has amazing range and priority, and causes guard stun if
guarded and knock down on hit. If the cross arm dive is guarded very early
in its animation you can be punished as your opponent will recover from the
guard stun before you recover from the dive. If on the other hand the dive
is guarded very late in its animation, you can guarantee your next attack
hits if its fast. The later you hit in the dives animation the more of an
advantage you give yourself while the opposite is true the earlier the dive
hits in its animation. Attackers can use a back dash or special back dash
to avoid the dive altogether if they already have a fair distance between
them and their opponent. If the dive misses, the recovery is long enough to
easily capitalize on. The most reliable way of dealing with the cross arm
dive however is to simply side step it. It is very easily side stepped, and
the better your timing with the side step, the greater the advantage you give
yourself. At close range, a side step will avoid the dive, but due to the
dives rapid movement across the screen you wont be able to retaliate. Side
stepping the dive at a greater distance is a bit more risky, but allows you
to punish your opponent.
Last but certainly not least is to simply stand up and guard. This leaves
your opponent with the advantage, but is safe against almost all forms of
medium and close range attacks. The rising guard is most ineffective against
running attacks. The grounded player also has to be prepared for a low
attack instead of a medium attack. Attackers have the advantage so they can
do almost anything they like. The idea behind the standing guard is to
guard the wake-up attack and retaliate with the advantage. As an attacker,
be prepared to follow up into a mix up from your medium wake-up attack if you
have one to retain your advantage.
-Face Down, Feet First
From this state you lose several options and gain none. You lose the toe
kick, the cross arm dive, and the spring attack. You retain your side rolls,
forward and backward rolls, rising sweep, rising round kick, standing guard,
and of course you can opt to remain prone. The rising sweep and round kick
seem to be faster from this state while the rising guard seems slightly
slower. It is possible to use a slightly delayed version of the rising
sweep and round kick by tapping up to rise before hitting the kick button.
Note that the rising sweep has a bit more range if it is delayed.
Despite having even more limitations in this state, the properties of your
options doesnt change.
-Face Up, Face First
This is perhaps the worst grounded state you can find yourself in. You lose
access to the toe kick, the cross arm dive, and the spring attack. You
retain the rising sweep and round kick which both seem to be a bit faster
from this state. While you retain your standing guard, but it seems even
slower than the rising sweep. As in the previous state, you can delay your
rising sweep and round kick by tapping up before the kick button. The sweep
again has greater range if it is delayed. As with all grounded states, you
can remain prone.
-Face Down, Face First
This state has some good and bad things about it. The good news is you only
lose the toe kick and the spring attack. The bad news is, almost all of your
rising actions have increased wind-up making them very slow. Your best
option in this state will most often be a simple rising guard. Forward rolls
seem a bit slower as do the rising sweep and round kick.
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Starting the Match
Unlike the previous combat tactics Ive discussed, the start of a Tekken match
doesnt have nearly as much impact. It is however a game within the game that
can provide you with the extra sliver of damage you need to claim victory.
In this section I will cover all of the typical tactics you will see at the
very start of the match.
-Jab Rush
In Tekken 6 all but 2 characters have a 10 frame jab. This means a jab will
strike in 1/6 of a second. Because of its speed and the many variations
characters have from jab rushes this is a very popular way to start the
match. This tactic is countered by crouching at the start and using a while-
rising attack. If the jab rush is mirrored, both players will be struck and
it will be as if the match just started after both players recover from the
initial jab. Ganryu and Jack-6 are lacking a 10 frame jab. Ganryu's
jab is 12 and Jack-6's is 11 frames making them a bit more risky to start the
match with. Alternately Ganryu has a head butt that is 10 frames and Jack-6
has a long range high palm strike. They both knock down on a counter hit.
These attacks stand alone however and have different ranges than a jab
making it more suited for string breaking rather than starting the match.
-Hop Kick
Most characters in Tekken now have a hop kick or some variation of it. The
hope kick from my experience is just as fast as a jap, but it hits medium
instead of high. Most hop kicks also act as launchers making them far more
dangerous than the most sophisticated jab rush. Quick side stepping attacks
will punish most hop kicks as they usually have poor tracking. Simply
guarding is another viable option to punish the hop kick as most are not
safe on hit. If the hop kick is mirrored both opponents will strike one
another and then fall to the ground. Note that hop kicks and jab rushes
also mirror one another resulting in both players falling to the ground. Do
note that the hop kick does more damage than a jab.
-Crouching Attack
Crouching attacks are not just attacks you use while crouched. For purposes
of starting the match they also describe attacks that evade high attacks
during their animations. Crouching attacks are slightly slower than the
standard jab rush or hop kick. Crouching attacks thoroughly punish jab
rushes and throws. The down side is that crouching attacks are punished by
hop kicks. If that hop kick connects you can expect to start the match with
a third of your health or more missing. Crouching attacks vary widely making
it very unlikely for them to be mirrored.
-Low Poke
Low pokes tend to be universally slower than most attacks typically used at
the start of the match. Note that if a low attack crouches during its
animation its properties would be more in line with crouching attacks covered
above. Low pokes defeat guarding assuming they have sufficient range as well
as reversals and parries. Low pokes may or may not defeat crouching attacks,
side stepping attacks depending on several factors. Low pokes may defeat
throws, but this will largely depend on the poke's speed.
-Reaching Throw
The reaching throw sees some use despite its many counters. Almost any
attack will defeat a throw at the start of the match, but the throw does
defeat one very important starting tactic. It defeats a standard guard which
is by far the safest tactic and perhaps the most common way of starting a
match. If reaching throws are mirrored I assume that the one with greater
priority would win, but I am unsure as to what the exact outcome would be.
Any input on this is appreciated.
-Guarding
Guarding is perhaps the best way to start a match, especially if your not
familiar with your opponents play style. The good thing about guarding is
that it will protect you against almost every typical starting attack. The
bad news is you will be voluntarily giving your opponent the advantage for
this security. A reaching throw will defeat the guard and using a
crouching guard to avoid the throw is worse than a crouching attack. At the
start of a match crouching without attacking leaves you more vulnerable than
attacking. Most low attacks that a crouching guard would stop are slower
than a crouching jab making it superior to a crouching guard in every way
(at the start of the match). Even without a crouching option, you can still
effectively protect yourself from throws while starting the match with a
guard. Be prepared at the start of the match to input a left or right punch
to break the throw at the start of the match. You will have a 50/50 shot
even if you cant determine which hand they reached with. Special throws that
use both punches to escape do not reach for the most part so you only have to
contend with a characters 2 standard front throws. Lastly, the damage from a
standard front throw is far less than even a simple juggle further enforcing
the theory that guarding at the start of the match is the best option.
Guarding cant be mirrored as the match doesnt actually start until someone
attacks. So aside from increasing your distance from one another, this
changes nothing.
-Parry/Reversal
Characters with the option may start the match using a reversal or parry.
They are fast enough to stop jabs and hop kicks. A jab string that is
reversed would be nearly impossible to chicken. A hop kick that was reversed
could be buffered with a chicken input. Starting the match with a parry or
reversal will stop jabs, hop kicks, most crouching attacks making it very
practical. Throws will punish the reversal and parry, and guarding will
often leave you with enough time to strike your opponent after the reversal
window closes. Mirroring reversals will do nothing, and the match will begin
when one player attacks after recovering from their reversal animation.
-Side Step Attack
Attacks with side steps built in are another great way to start the match.
Against jabs, hop kicks, and most crouching attacks a side step attack will
come out on top. Because they are slightly slower than the jab and hop kick
an immediate reversal's window will usually close before the side step attack
connects. Throws will likely win out over a side step attack making them one
of the only reliable offensive methods of winning the start of the match.
This is not always the case though, throws are also slower than the jab and
hop kick putting them on par with side step attacks. Whether the throw or
the side step attack connects can literally come down to fractions of a
second. Guarding of course will avoid the the side step attack and switch
the advantage. A rare few characters have side stepping attacks that also
crouch for a moment or more during their animations making them among the
best ways to start the match.
Side stepping attacks can also counter themselves unlike
mirroring the other starting options. Because side stepping attacks dont
rely on speed for success, but rather evasion; certain side stepping attacks
will defeat another side stepping attack every time.
-Miscellaneous Tactics
Many characters will have other options that work well at the start of the
match. Lei for example can start the match by entering his various grounded
stances enabling him to avoid almost all starting options except guarding.
Knowledge of these miscellaneous tactics is no less important than the
standard starting tactics. Methods to defeat them will only come from
experience in dealing with them, so experiment.
-Things not to do at the start of a match
I will finish up with a few things you do not want to do at the start of the
match. Dont start the match with a back dash or special back dash. Back
dashing doesnt happen as quickly as it appears in the middle of a match and
it leaves you vulnerable. There is a window during a back dash where
guarding is impossible. Even should the back dash succeed, it doesnt give
you the advantage unless your opponent used a slow attack which brings me to
next piece of advice. Dont use anything slow at the start of the match. Go
fast or guard, anything else is likely to get you hurt. The advantage of
slow attacks in a match is to change up the speed or tempo. If your change
up is successful, your opponent will think he has the advantage when you in
fact have it. At the start of the match, there is no tempo, so there can be
no change up. This makes those slow attacks very easy to see coming.
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Training Regiment
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Offensive Training
Offensive training is the easier of the 2 forms of training in my opinion.
First determine your play style. Do you like power, speed, finesse, balance,
eccentricity, ect? Once you know that you should be able to narrow your
character choice from 40 to around 5-8.
Next you want to jump into freestyle training mode and open
your characters command list. Start with the first move and hit the demo
button to see what it looks like and get an idea of the input speed. Dont
skip this step as this is your only way of ensuring your doing the move
properly. Now exit the demo and do that move manually 10 times IN A ROW.
This means, if you make a mistake, start counting up from 0 again. Why do I
advise what some might call insanity? First, if you can do the attack 10
times in a row, then you can do it on command whenever you want without any
doubt or hesitation. Secondly and more importantly this ensures you have the
discipline to reach your potential. Now work your way down the command list
skipping nothing. Keep a note pad nearby and note the command input of any
moves that take you into another stance. Keep a separate list for each
stance. Once you get to the bottom of the command list you should have
all of the attacks that will take you into alternate stances listed. You
should also know and be able to perform all of these attacks at will. Give
these stance changing moves another set of 10 cycling through all of the
variations. This ensures you dont come to rely too heavily on any one stance
or any one stance's attack or move set. Becoming intimately familiar with
a characters alternate stances will give you a big advantage even against
players who know them. Remember not to skip anything, every move on a
characters command list should be performed.
Now for the hard part. Do this once a day for 4 days
straight, then switch to doing all of the attacks on the command list 3 times
in a row at least once a week. Each week you go through the command list you
will come to recognize certain attacks or moves that you neglect in actual
play. Do these neglected moves 10 times in a row instead of 3. This will
ensure that they remain in your mental arsenal even if the moments where they
are useful are far and few in between. Some command lists are huge I
realize. If you dont have the hours it may take to finish a large command
list with many difficult moves just make a note of where you left off so
you can come back. Dont start over your next practice session as this is
like telling your brain that it only has to remember the first 40 moves. You
can never have too many options in Tekken. In fact, after a time, you may
find the command list of your character has to few options or variation.
Playing more skilled opponents will make you aware of the shortcomings of
pre-programmed strings.
When you find yourself trying to find ways to change
pre-programmed strings you have officially risen above novice status. At
this point you should still do all of your characters moves 3 times in a row
at least once a week, but the majority of your training will be focused on
customizing the pre-programmed strings to add more complexity to your
attack patterns. You should also start expanding and changing your juggles,
wall game, and wake-up game to optimize the amount of damage you can inflict.
With improved juggles, wall game, and wake-up game, you can better take
advantage of the complex custom strings and mix-ups you've created.
Eventually your wall game and juggles will peak, not because of flaws in your
style, but because juggle and wall game options are one sided and finite.
When you can deal no more damage with juggles or wall combos and your
training becomes solely focused on your wake-up game and your mix-ups you
have mastered your offensive game.
Playing the computer is one last thing to
consider. The computer, even at the highest difficulty shouldnt pose much
of a challenge once your good, but it will help condition you with good
habits. Firstly it conditions you not to rely on throws. A high difficulty
computer will escape or punish almost every throw you use only slightly more
often than a veteran player. The difference is the computer may strike you
where as a human opponent will juggle you for a third of your health. Next
the computer will punish your strings. This gives you a heads up of all
your string weaknesses before playing against live opponents. Playing the
computer is a great tool for testing your custom string's effectiveness.
Lastly the computer will condition you to rely on medium attacks over high
and low attacks. Medium hits are easily guarded, but they are directly
linked to the foundation of your defense. Despite being easily guarded
against, most of them are also safe on hit or guard. The computer like
veteran players will punish your high attacks with while rising strikes.
And your low attacks will be blocked and countered with a while rising
attacks or a low parry juggle. Its also important to note that the computer
may condition you with some negative tendencies. You will quickly identify
this negative conditioning when players repeatedly punish you for relying on
something that was effective against the computer. Then its simply a matter
of breaking those habits.
Note: Every character has several moves that are not on his command list.
These moves should be written down and manually added to your characters
move list as you discover them.
Special Note: In Tekken 4 there was an option to toggle the command input
on a characters command list to instead show the percentage in which one move
is used in comparison to all of the other attacks on the command list. It is
my hope that this option is available somewhere in Tekken 6, perhaps burried
in sub menus or something. Any information on move use percentage options
would be appreciated.
Defensive Training: Defensive training is not something that any one player
can hope to master. Because a players defensive ability is virtually without
limit, it is often the most influential factor in determining his skill. The
best way to train defensively is to train offensively with each and every
character. Proof of this will come when you master your own characters
offense. You will notice that mirror matches are either very easy to win or
they come down to the wire. Almost never should you be completely destroyed
in a mirror match with a characters who's offense you've mastered. Despite
being the best way to train defensively, this is not always practical. It'd
likely take a couple years at least to master every character in Tekken 6. A
more practical method of defensive training is to keep filtering the online
Tekken community so your always fighting players as good or better than
yourself. As you play against better and better players you will identify
attack patterns that will consistently penetrate your defenses. If these
attacks are pre-programmed strings, you can go into defensive training and
take all the time you need to dissect them. For customized strings, you will
need to note them as they come and find out their command inputs. Then you
can go into defensive training and input the custom string yourself and use
the record option to record it and play it back repeatedly experimenting with
ways to punish or avoid it. With experience you will likely be able to skip
the step involving the recording of a string and work out a counter or
defense on the fly after enough exposure to the custom string.
Note: The record option in training will be added in the next patch.
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Tekken Site Reference List
1. iamtekken.com ~ This would be the first site I'd check if your serious
about getting better at Tekken. This is MYK's personal site and he has the
tournament victories to prove he is among the best Tekken players in the
country if not the world. Furthermore, more than any other Tekken player
he generously gives a great deal of his time to the Tekken community.
2. tekkenzaibatsu.com ~ This is your site for numerical information. For
every character the Tekken Zaibatsu has complete move lists as well as each
moves special properties, hit type, ect. And there are enough links to
different Tekken match videos to keep you busy analyzing for hours maybe even
days.
3. Level Up Your Game ~ This is a link you can find at iamtekken.com. This
is the ideal place to start if your just getting into Tekken. There is a
short series of Tekken Youtube videos that explain the fundamentals with
visual demonstrations.
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Id like to thank everyone who has read this guide. I hope it was of help in
your efforts to become a better Tekken player. As stated many times in the
guide, I welcome questions and input. I expect to learn a great deal from
my readers. In an effort to further immerse myself into the Gamefaq and
Tekken communities I expect to be reading and posting on the Gamefaqs Tekken
message boards. If you post any questions specifically for me on the message
boards please put Arcylis in parenthesis like so... (Arcylis) in the
title. For questions, corrections, or information related specifically to
this guide please email me at Arc9213@gmail.com with Tekken in the title.